This application relates generally to a method and system for providing vehicle drivers and operators with information and alerts regarding vehicle operating parameters, and in particular when those parameters exceed user-configured limits.
Since at least 1996, every light duty passenger vehicle sold in the United States has had a computer diagnostic data connection port, such as an OBD1, OBD2, or SAE-J1962 port. This data port permits a mechanic or other user to connect to the vehicle and retrieve vehicle diagnostic data, that is, data about the vehicle, including engine, fuel system, brake system, door locks, climate control systems, and other data. Scan tools have been developed to permit mechanics and repair technicians to connect to the vehicle and monitor sensor data in real time as well as read and clear trouble codes and reset engine operating data and learned values.
Modern vehicles today often come equipped with one or more displays built-in to the vehicle. For example, a vehicle may feature a heads-up display (HUD), a navigation display, a radio display, an instrument cluster display (such as a display showing trip information or odometer readings) or other types of displays.
Most of these built-in displays are not intended (or even designed) to allow the driver to customize what information is displayed. For instance, a typical radio display may show the currently selected radio station, or even the currently playing song name, but was not designed to permit the driver to customize the radio display to, for example, show engine speed and coolant temperature instead of the song name. Thus, the use of the display is fairly limited.
Some vehicle displays do come with limited modification options. For example, the driver may be able to use a button on the steering wheel to change an instrument cluster display between multiple preset values such as odometer, trip A, trip B, distance to empty, or other values. However, if the driver desires to see some vehicle data value not offered by the display, he is unable to customize the built-in display to show that data value.
Modern vehicles today usually come equipped with one or more audible chime systems and warning lights. For example, if the vehicle detects that the driver seat belt is not buckled, the vehicle may illuminate a warning light and sound the audible seat belt chime to warn the driver to buckle up. In other situations, if the vehicle begins moving and one or more vehicle doors are ajar, the vehicle may illuminate a door ajar warning light and sound a door ajar chime to warn the driver. Some vehicles also include a backup camera or parking system that beeps or chimes to indicate that the vehicle is approaching or nearing another vehicle or obstruction.
With the reliability of modern vehicles, many of the visual warning lights on the instrument cluster may never actually illuminate to indicate a vehicle fault within the lifespan of the vehicle. For instance, an airbag deployed warning light may only illuminate for the first time after the vehicle has already crashed and may no longer be drivable. If the vehicle is never involved in a crash, the light may never illuminate.
Other visual warning lights may have obscure or even not very useful meanings such as a skip shift warning light. Other visual warning lights may even be redundant in nature such as having a fuel level gauge as well as a low fuel light. Some visual warning lights may come configured from the factory to illuminate when specific preset limits have been exceeded, such as a tire pressure warning light always illuminating if the tire pressure drops below 26 psi. If the driver is utilizing special tires, such as racing tires that may require less than 26 psi for proper inflation or even much more than 26 psi for proper inflation, the built-in tire pressure warning light may be useless because the factory preset limits would no longer apply to the current tires in use.
Previously, vehicle operators or other users wanting additional vehicle information other than that available from built-in or factory installed vehicle displays and warning lights often installed aftermarket gauge pods into the vehicle. Frequently this required cutting holes in the dashboard to accommodate the newly installed gauges. Other solutions included bolting on additional panels to hold the gauges, such as by adding a new A-pillar gauge panel. These solutions typically require permanent modification to the vehicle, which can reduce resell value and deter would-be buyers, and may significantly reduce the often-desirable “factory look” of the vehicle.
Other prior solutions to obtain additional vehicle operating data or alerts included adding an extra display, such as an LCD display, connected to the vehicle diagnostic port. These displays are usually quite large (several inches across) and mounted on the dashboard or suctioned to the windshield. Unfortunately, these solutions often require permanent modification to the vehicle for installation and may even reduce the driver's field of vision due to a large display being suctioned to the windshield.
Some prior products allowed the user to reflash or reprogram a vehicle display with a different calibration that contains altered display parameters. Doing this may void the factory warranty, and may require the user to perform an additional reflash each time the user wants to further alter the display parameters. Thus, although modern vehicles may come equipped with many different displays and audible and visual warning systems, the driver is typically unable to customize those displays based on the driver's preferences, or to cause those displays to present information beyond the manufacturer's built-in limits. Thus, having an aftermarket device that simply attaches to the vehicle diagnostic port, and may be unplugged when not wanted, which provides enhanced information, customization, and alerting, without permanent modification of the vehicle, would be useful.